U.S. patent number 6,055,146 [Application Number 09/103,238] was granted by the patent office on 2000-04-25 for wiring protection and retention arrangement without feed through.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Lucent Technologies Inc.. Invention is credited to Bassel Hage Daoud.
United States Patent |
6,055,146 |
Daoud |
April 25, 2000 |
Wiring protection and retention arrangement without feed
through
Abstract
In a building entrance protector having an input wire
termination device and an output wire termination device, a barrier
wall for isolating fusible link connections between the input wire
termination device and the output wire termination device. The
barrier wall comprising a fire-resistant plate for isolating the
input wire termination device from the output wire termination
device within the building entrance protector. The fire-resistant
plate has a narrow opening comprised of a primary aperture and a
wiring access slot. The wiring access slot permits insertion of
terminated fusible links into the primary aperture which is capable
of containing the fusible link connections between the input wire
termination device and the output wire termination device.
Inventors: |
Daoud; Bassel Hage (Parsippany,
NJ) |
Assignee: |
Lucent Technologies Inc.
(Murray Hill, NJ)
|
Family
ID: |
22294111 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/103,238 |
Filed: |
June 23, 1998 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
361/103;
379/327 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01H
85/201 (20130101); H04Q 1/028 (20130101); H04Q
1/116 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H01H
85/20 (20060101); H01H 85/00 (20060101); H04Q
1/02 (20060101); H04Q 1/14 (20060101); H02H
005/04 () |
Field of
Search: |
;439/49,50,621
;361/58,57,91,103,104,111,117,124,626,628,630
;379/326-328,330,331 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Leja; Ronald W.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Gibbons, Del Deo, Dolan Griffinger
& Vecchione
Parent Case Text
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is related to copending U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 09/102,938, filed on Jun. 23, 1998, entitled "SWIVEL CABLE
MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT REQUIRING NO WIRING FEED THROUGH HOLE" having
common inventors and a common assignee.
Claims
What is claimed:
1. A building entrance protector assembly for interconnecting
outside plant wiring to customer premises wiring through fusible
links, the building entrance protector assembly comprising:
a chamber;
an input termination device for connecting to the outside plant
wiring;
an output termination device for connecting to the customer
premises wiring; and,
a barrier wall having a primary aperture and a wiring access slot,
said barrier wall dividing said chamber, said primary aperture
adapted to collect a group of fusible links therein and to seal
said barrier wall with said group of fusible links within said
barrier wall;
wherein said barrier wall separates said input termination device
from said output termination device so that the fusible links can
be connected between said input termination device and said output
termination device without having to first feed through said
primary aperture and wherein the fusible links are first fed
through said wiring access slot.
2. The building entrance protector assembly as recited in claim 1
wherein said barrier wall is comprised of a fire-resistant
material.
3. The building entrance protector assembly as recited in claim 1
wherein said barrier wall further comprises a bendable tab capable
of closing said wiring access slot wherein closing said bendable
tab provides means for maintaining integrity of said barrier
wall.
4. The building entrance protector assembly as recited in claim 1
wherein said primary aperture is defined by a circular shape.
5. The building entrance protector assembly as recited in claim 1
wherein said primary aperture is defined by a shape having rounded
corners.
6. The building entrance protector assembly as recited in claim 1
further comprising a surge connector port wherein the fusible links
are connected between said input termination device and said output
termination device through said surge connector port.
7. The building entrance protector assembly as recited in claim 6
wherein said surge connector port is separated from said input
termination device by said barrier wall.
8. A method of connecting an input wire termination device to an
output wire termination device in a building entrance protector
assembly, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a group of fusible links having a first end and a second
end;
terminating said first end of one of said group of fusible links to
a connector of said input termination device;
terminating said second end of said one of said group of fusible
links to a connector of a connector port;
passing said group of fusible links through a wiring access slot
into a primary aperture in a barrier wall;
collecting said group of fusible links within said primary
aperture;
sealing said barrier wall with said group of fusible links within
said barrier wall; and,
isolating said input termination device from said connector port
with said barrier wall;
wherein said group of fusible links are contained by said primary
aperture.
9. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said barrier wall is
comprised of a fire-resistant material.
10. The method as recited in claim 8 further comprising the step of
closing said wiring access slot when said group of fusible links
are contained by said primary aperture wherein closing said wiring
access slot provides means for maintaining integrity of said
barrier wall.
11. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein the step of closing
said wiring access slot further comprises bending a tab on said
barrier wall.
12. In a building entrance protector having an input wire
termination device and an output wire termination device, a barrier
wall for isolating fusible link connections between the input wire
termination device and the output wire termination device, the
barrier wall comprising:
a fire-resistant plate for isolating the input wire termination
device from the output wire termination device within the building
entrance protector, said fire-resistant plate having a narrow
opening;
said narrow opening having a primary aperture and a wiring access
slot;
wherein said wiring access slot permits insertion of terminated
fusible links into said primary aperture which is capable of
containing the fusible link connections between the input wire
termination device and the output wire termination device and
wherein the fire-resistant plate is sealed with the terminated
fusible links within the fire-resistant plate.
13. The barrier wall in a building entrance protected as recited in
claim 12 wherein said barrier wall is comprised of a fire-resistant
material.
14. The barrier wall in a building entrance protector as recited in
claim 12 wherein said barrier wall further comprises a bendable tab
capable of closing said wiring access slot wherein closing said
bendable tab provides means for maintaining integrity of said
barrier wall.
15. The barrier wall in a building entrance protected as recited in
claim 12 wherein said primary aperture is defined by a circular
shape.
16. The barrier wall in a building entrance protected as recited in
claim 12 wherein said primary aperture is defined by a shape having
rounded corners.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to building entrance protectors for
telecommunication lines, and more particularly to the wiring
systems for connecting components of the entrance protectors.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Building entrance protector (BEP) is the name used in the art of
telephone equipment to describe the junction box where telephone
lines from outside plant wiring are joined to customer premises
equipment. In the most common application, the building entrance
protector is the place where the telecommunication lines from an
outside plant wiring enter a building and are joined to the
communication system within that building. Within the building
entrance protector there is an input wire termination device that
receives the telecommunication lines contained within the outside
plant wiring. Also contained within the building entrance protector
is an output wire termination device that receives the
telecommunication lines required for the customer premises
equipment Located in between the input wire termination device and
the output wire termination device, passing through a barrier wall,
are fusible links. The fusible links are typically 26 gauge copper
wire, which is thinner than the gauge of either the outside plant
wiring or the customer premises equipment.
The purpose of the fusible links is to prevent power surges from
passing through the building entrance protector that can damage
equipment located within the building or melt any wire on the
customer side of the building entrance protector. Since
telecommunication lines are frequently located on the same poles as
power lines, a break in a power line that subsequently contacts a
telephone line, can result in a large surge of power passing
through the telecommunication lines into a building. Similarly,
lightning strikes can result large surges of power pass in through
telecommunication lines into a building. The purpose of the
building entrance protector is to ensure that any such power surge
is stopped at the point of the building entrance protector and is
thus prevented from traveling into the building where it can cause
damage to equipment and possibly a fire.
Typical wiring connections from the input wire termination device
to the output wire termination device are made by hand or using
hand tools. Hand wiring is time consuming and problematic.
Accordingly, there is a need for automating the wiring from the
input wire termination device to the output wire termination
device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a building entrance protector with wiring
harness protection and retention arrangement for automatic wiring
process without a feed through hole requirement. In the building
entrance protector having an input wire termination device and an
output wire termination device, a barrier wall for isolates fusible
link connections between the input wire termination device and the
output wire termination device. The barrier wall comprising a
fire-resistant plate for isolating the input wire termination
device from the output wire termination device within the building
entrance protector. The fire-resistant plate has a narrow opening
comprised of a primary aperture and a wiring access slot. The
wiring access slot permits insertion of terminated fusible links
into the primary aperture which is capable of containing the
fusible link connections between the input wire termination device
and the output wire termination device. A method in accordance with
the present invention is also described.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A more complete understanding of the present invention may be
obtained from consideration of the following description in
conjunction with the drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a top view of a building entrance protector (BEP) with
wiring harness protection and retention arrangement for automatic
wiring process without a feed through hole requirement;
FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the BEP for automatic
wiring;
FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c shows details of alternate embodiments of the
narrow opening in the fire-resistant barrier wall;
FIGS. 4a, 4b and 4c show a sequence of insertion of terminated
fusible links into the narrow opening; and,
FIG. 5 shows an edge view an alternate embodiment of the
fire-resistant barrier wall.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown the present invention building
entrance protector (BEP) with wiring harness protection and
retention arrangement for automatic wiring process without a feed
through hole requirement 10. The BEP for automatic wiring 10
contains a fire-resistant barrier wall 12 which separates a sealed
fire-resistant splice chamber 14 and a distribution chamber 16.
Outside plant wiring 18 passes into the sealed fire-resistant
splice chamber 14. Within the sealed fire-resistant splice chamber
14, some of the individual wires contained within the outside plant
wiring 18 are connected to an input wire termination device 20. A
fusible link 22 connects an individual wire from the input
termination device 20 to a corresponding individual surge protector
port 24 located on a surge protector panel 26. The individual surge
protector ports 24 are coupled to an output wire termination device
28, such as a punch down block. Customer premise equipment is
connected to the output wire termination device 28.
Referring to FIG. 2, which is a cross-sectional view of the BEP for
automatic wiring 10 shown in FIG. 1, it can be seen that the
fusible links 22 are connected to terminal leads 30 on the bottom
of the input wire termination device 20. The outside plant wiring
18 is connected to terminal leads 32 on the top of the input wire
termination device 20. The fusible links 22 extend through a narrow
opening 34 in the fire-resistant barrier wall 12 which separates
the sealed fire-resistant splice chamber 14 and the distribution
chamber 16 and connect to terminals 36 on the bottom of the surge
protector panel 26.
Referring to FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c there are shown details of
alternate embodiments of the narrow opening 34 in the
fire-resistant barrier wall 12 which separates the sealed
fire-resistant splice chamber 14 and the distribution chamber 16.
The narrow opening 34 is comprised of two portions, a primary
aperture 36 and a wiring access slot 38. FIGS. 3b, 3c and 3d show
some of the possible shapes for the primary aperture 36. In
particular FIG. 3a shows a circular shaped primary aperture 36,
FIG. 3b shows a rounded square primary aperture 36, and FIG. 3c
shows a rounded triangle primary aperture 36. In FIG. 3b there is
shown a slotted rubber grommet 40 which is used to contain and
protect the fusible links 22 (shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) which pass
through the primary aperture 36 in the fire-resistant barrier wall
12. Alternatively, a grommet strip, cable tie, vinyl tape as well
as other means may be used to contain and protect the fusible links
22 when they pass through the primary aperture 36.
The fusible link 22 (shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) connects an individual
wire from the input termination device 20 to a corresponding
individual surge protector port 24 located on a surge protector
panel 26. Utilizing an automatic wire-wrapping device, or other
suitable automatic wire termination device, the fusible links 22
are automatically connected to individual terminal leads 30 on the
bottom of the input wire termination device 20 and then are
automatically connected to individual terminals 36 on the bottom of
the surge protector panel 26. After the high speed automatic
termination of the ends of the fusible links 22, the fusible links
22 must extend through the narrow opening 34 in the fire-resistant
barrier wall 12 which separates the sealed fire-resistant splice
chamber 14 and the distribution chamber 16. Referring to FIGS. 4a,
4b and 4c, there is shown a sequence of inserting the fusible links
22 into the narrow opening 34 after automatic termination.
Referring to FIG. 4a the terminated fusible links 22 are inserted
into the wiring access slot 38, which is at least as wire as a
single fusible link 22. It can be seen in FIG. 4b, that the fusible
links 22 collect in the primary aperture 36. After all of the
corresponding fusible links 22 have been collected in the primary
aperture 36, a vinyl tape 42, cable tie, slotted rubber grommet,
grommet strip, or other suitable device is used to contain and
protect the fusible links 22 as a group or bundle. Optionally a
plug (not shown) may be used to seal the wiring access slot 38.
Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown an edge view of the
fire-resistant barrier wall 12, where the wiring access slot 38 is
formed by bending the fire-resistant barrier wall 12. A tab 44,
permits access for wiring to the primary aperture 36. After all of
the corresponding fusible links 22 have been collected in the
primary aperture 36, the wiring slot 38 may be closed by bending
the tab 44 flush with the fire-resistant barrier wall 12, or a plug
(not shown) may be used to seal the wiring access slot 38.
Numerous modifications and alternative embodiments of the invention
will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the
foregoing description. This includes but is not limited to a
variety of primary aperture shapes as well as cable containment and
protection devices. Further, the fusible links may be terminated on
one end, automatically drawn through the wiring access slot and
into the primary aperture, before termination on the other end.
Accordingly, this description is to be construed as illustrative
only and is for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art
the best mode of carrying out the invention. Details of the
structure may be varied substantially without departing from the
spirit of the invention and the exclusive use of all modifications
which come within the scope of the appended claim is reserved.
* * * * *